City Might Charge County for Emergency Response
The city of Clovis would charge the Fresno County Fire Protection District $950 per medical-aid call to unincorporated areas within a mile of the city under a plan being considered by the City Council, the Fresno Bee reports. If approved, the charge would take effect July 1.
The fee could result in delayed response in county areas near Clovis if the county district tries to restrict how often Clovis crews are called. The Clovis Fire Department responds to 10 times as many calls in the area than the county. The district board has asked its staff to develop a policy for sending the Clovis Fire Department to medical calls.
Clovis Fire Department Chief Mark Aston said responding to calls for fires or medical aid in unincorporated areas costs more than $2,000 per call on average. The fee is intended to ease the cost burden on Clovis taxpayers.
The City Council will consider the proposal on Monday. The county fire district earlier this month approved the plan (Benjamin, Fresno Bee, 5/30).